Improved recloseable package for pinch-grip opening

ABSTRACT

A recloseable package including a recloseable fastener assembly is configured to facilitate pinch-grip opening of the package by gripping and separation of front and rear panels of the package. In order to facilitate opening in this manner, the recloseable fastener assembly is configured to open and separate during pinch-grip opening, without separation of the fastener assembly from the body of the package and/or delamination of the package body. To this end, elements of the recloseable fastener assembly are partially separated from each other, intermediate the ends thereof, to facilitate opening of the fastener assembly without separation of the assembly from the body. Alternatively, the fastener assembly can be configured such that one of the elements has a pair of flange portions for attachment to the package body, while the other fastener element has a single flange portion. The fastener elements are configured to preferentially separate in a direction generally away from that direction in which the single flange portion extends. The present recloseable package can be configured for efficient formation on a vertical form, fill, and seal filling apparatus.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to packages that can be pinch-grip opened,that is, the end seal of the package can be broken open by pulling thefront and rear panels of the package apart. More particularly thepresent invention relates to recloseable packages that each include arecloseable fastener assembly that can be pinch-grip opened inconjunction with the breaking open of the package end seal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Packages that can be pinch-grip opened are commonly used when packagingsnack foods. Film substrates utilized to make packages for snack foods,such as potato chips, corn chips, or the like have been designed so thatthe end seal of the package preferably breaks open prior to the tearingof the film.

Recloseable packages have come into increasingly widespread use in viewof the convenience they provide to consumers and other users to permit aportion of a package's contents to be used, and the package effectivelyreclosed. To this end, packages have been provided with recloseableelements including profile fastener strips, cooperating adhesive strips,hook-and-loop fastener elements, and the like, to permit a package to beconveniently reclosed after its initial opening. U.S. Pat. No.5,782,733, U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,862, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,759, and U.S.Pat. No. 4,909,017, all hereby incorporated by reference, disclosevarious recloseable package constructions, and methods for effectingtheir formation.

Packages that can be pinch-grip opened that include some type ofrecloseable fastener means have become desirable, whereby bothconveniences can be offered to the consumer. The method of openingpackages which have been provided with interlocking profile striprecloseable fasteners that can be pinch-grip opened has been previouslydescribed by the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,396, hereby incorporatedby reference, teaches a method of opening such packages.

Pinch-grip opening recloseable packages provides several benefits overother types of recloseable packaging. Aside from the fact that mostconsumers have a tendency to open snack food packaging this way, othertechnical benefits exist as well. One important benefit is that packageswhich can be opened in this fashion allow the package to be formed withthe recloseable fastener disposed totally within the confines of thepackage, and therefore not interfere with the barrier properties of thepackage. Unlike most other packages with recloseable fastenerarrangements there is no need to provide a separate, dedicated means foraccessing the recloseable fastener. Such access means often requireperforations that compromise the gas barrier properties of the package.

The gas barrier properties, of snack food packaging, are of criticalimportance to the freshness of the product being packaged. Often snackfood packages are filled with nitrogen to displace other unwanted gasessuch as oxygen from the confines of the package. Perforations allow thenitrogen to escape rapidly, drastically shortening the shelf life of thepackaged product. A package that can be pinch-grip opened provides abarrier proof opening means without the need to use a cuttinginstrument, such as scissors. U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,891 and U.S. Pat. No.6,224,262 disclose packages that require perforations for accessing thereclosable fastener.

Packages formed in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,396 use variousinterlocking profile strip recloseable fastener types, but this patentfails to recognize the mechanics involved in pinch-grip opened packagewith certain types of recloseable fastener assemblies. The problemresults from the lack of leverage on the locking members of therecloseable fastener assembly when pulling the front and rear panels ofthe packages apart. Typical recloseable packages with recloseablefasteners arranged on opposing walls of the package have theirrecloseable fasteners formed into the package very close to the end sealto maximize the product carrying capacity of the package. When utilizingsuch opposing wall recloseable fastener arrangements, the recloseablefastener must be opened before the end seal of the package is brokenopen when pinch-grip opening the package. This requires that therecloseable fastener assembly have the right mechanical elements toallow it to open from the opposite direction than is typical, that is,from the bottom up (i.e., the “product side”), instead of the top down.

The opening of the recloseable fastener from the opposite directioncreates some mechanical problems for many typical fastener assembliesdue to the lack of leverage on the interlocking profile strips. Thisproblem results primarily when packages are formed with the recloseablefastener being transversely positioned to the forming axis of thepackage.

This is commonly the case with snack food packaging which ispredominantly formed using vertical form, fill, and seal packagingmachinery. Such methods of forming packages with transversely positionedrecloseable fasteners are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,733, No.6,177,172, and No. 5,601,368. Recloseable fastener means used with thismethod of forming packages requires that the recloseable fastener haveflanges for attaching it to the panels of the package which haverelatively wide and thin dimensions. The typical flanges are relativelythin to allow for efficient sealing of the flange to even thinnerpackaging films at fairly high rates of operation. The flanges alsoprovide a means for gripping the recloseable fastener when opening thelocking members. Since these recloseable fasteners are normally onlyopened from one direction they typically only contain two flanges on theside that is meant to be opened, such as from the top of the package.Flanges must be of sufficient dimensions for gripping but also to allowthe recloseable fastener to be sealed to the package. When attempting toopen a package by pinch-grip opening it below the fastener assembly,typical fastener assemblies with typical sealing arrangements fail tounlock before the seal attaching the flange of the assembly to the backwall of the package fails. When using laminated film structures as isused with typical snack food packaging the film often delaminates beforethe seal fails. Therefore, it is recognized by the present inventionthat the force required to unlock the interlocking profile strips mustbe less than the strength between the layers of the laminated filmstructure. The lack of leverage resulting from the hinged effect of theflange when pinch-grip opening the package below the locking membersmust also be taken into account.

When using packaging with an opposing wall fastener arrangement (i.e.,the two components of the fastener assembly are respectively joined tothe front and rear panels of the package), which is a requirement formaking recloseable packages that can be pinch-grip opened, one of therecloseable strips must be sealed to the back panel of the package. Itis required that this sealing step be done on the form, fill, and sealmachine after the packaged has been filled. This process requires thatthe form, fill, and seal machine be equipped with a means for sealingthe flange to the back wall of the package which typically requires thatan additional set of sealing jaws be utilized. These additional sealingjaws must be synchronized with the operation of the form fill and sealmachine to allow for the final recloseable fastener flange seal to bemade. Due to the tolerance associated with a typical form, fill, andseal machine the overall width of the flanges must be relatively wide toallow for successful sealing of the flange to the back panel of thepackage. Typical flange widths are from 0.50″ to 0.75″; even widerflanges are required with some form, fill, and seal machines.

Although it is desirable to form packages that can be pinch-grip opened,it is also desirable to provide a package that can be opened from thetop down after the package has been initially pinch-grip opened.Therefore, it is desirable to have a recloseable fastener that can beopened from both directions. As a result of this bi-directional openingrequirement, the only packages known to be reliably produced that couldbe pinch-grip opened, utilized recloseable fasteners having flanges onboth sides of each of the locking members. These bi-directionalrecloseable fasteners required flanges above and below the lockingmember of the recloseable fastener that is attached to the back panel ofthe package.

This has resulted in the recloseable fastener assembly having fourflanges. The overall width dimension is almost double that of a typicalrecloseable fastener. This has resulted in the recloseable fastenerbeing more expensive and it has required that the amount of packagingfilm be increased to accommodate the wider fastener assembly whichresults in additional packaging cost. The sealing jaw arrangement on theform, fill, and seal machine needed to attach such a four flangefastener assembly is more complex and expensive, as well.

The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art byproviding a recloseable fastener with interlocking profile strips thatcan be used with packages utilizing-grip opening without the need forthe typical leverage required of the recloseable fasteners used inconjunction with form, fill, and seal machinery when transverselyapplying recloseable fasteners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a package that can be pinch-gripopened without the fastener strips tearing away from the panels of thepackage. One solution is to utilize a fastener assembly that is designedto unlock when lateral forces are applied to its members.

Another advantage of the present invention is that when usingconventional locking members, a method is taught whereby the lockingmembers can be left unlocked in a center portion where the forces arethe greatest.

An improved recloseable package embodying the principles of the presentinvention comprises a package body including a front wall or panel, anda rear wall or panel joined to each other. A recloseable fastenerassembly is joined to the package body for gaining access to theinterior of the package body, with the fastener assembly including firstand second fastener elements which can be releasably secured to eachother for closing the package body after the fastener elements have beenseparated from each other.

In order to facilitate pinch-grip opening of the package, by graspingand separating the front and rear panels of the package, the first andsecond fastener elements are at least partially separated from eachother, intermediate the ends of the fastener assembly, to facilitateinitial separation of the first and second fastener elements. In thepreferred form, the first and second fastener elements respectivelydefine at least one groove, and at least one projection, or vice versa,which cooperate with each other to releaseably secure the fastenerelements to each other. Flange portions of the fastener assemblyfacilitate its securement to the inside surface of the film material orthe like from which the package is formed, and facilitates releasableopening of the package. Specifically, the first fastener element has apair of first flange portions respectively extending in generallyopposite directions thereof to facilitate joining of the fastenerassembly to the package body, such as to the inside of the front panelof the package. In contrast, the second fastener element has a single,second flange portion extending from only one side thereof, tofacilitate joining of the second fastener element to the interior of thepackage body after the package body is formed generally about thefastener assembly. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, thefastener assembly is provided with three flange portions which aresecured to the inside of the package body.

As noted, the fastener assembly of the present invention is preferablyconfigured to facilitate pinch-grip opening of the package by grippingand separating the front and rear panels thereof. In particular, thepresent package is configured so as to facilitate pinch-grip opening,without separation of the second fastener element, having a singleflange portion, from the interior of the package body or withoutpermanently deforming the package body, such as by delamination thereof.

In one form of the invention, the fastener assembly is configured tofacilitate pinch-grip opening by the first and second fastener elementsbeing partially separated from each other, intermediate the ends of thefastener assembly. Pinch-grip opening of the package by separation ofthe fastener elements and subsequent opening of the generally adjacentend seal, is thus facilitated.

In another aspect of the invention, the fastener assembly itself can beconfigured to facilitate separation of the fastener element in apreferential fashion, that is, providing fastener elements which providethe desired releasable securement when separated normally, generallyaway from each other, but which can be more easily separated from eachother when manipulated in a different fashion. In particular, thisaspect of the present invention contemplates the fastener elements canbe configured to facilitate separation from each other by movement ofthe first fastener assembly in a direction, relative to the secondfastener assembly, which is generally away from the direction in whichthe flange portion of the second fastener element extends from thesecond fastener element. In presently preferred embodiments, the singleflange of the second fastener element extends in a direction generallytoward an end seal of the package generally adjacent to which thefastener assembly is positioned in closely spaced relationship. Thisarrangement facilitates pinch-grip opening of the package, in thatseparation of the front and rear panels away from each other acts topull the first fastener element in a direction generally away from thedirection in which the flange portion of the second fastener elementextends.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomereadily apparent from the following detailed description, theaccompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recloseable package embodying theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the application offorces to front and rear panels of the package for effecting pinch-gripopening;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along lines 3-3 of FIG.1 illustrating the present recloseable package, and its contents, priorto opening;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustratingapplication of forces to the front and rear panels of the package foreffecting pinch-grip opening;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a recloseable fastener assemblyconfigured in accordance with the present invention to facilitatepinch-grip opening of a package having the assembly;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view illustrating therecloseable fastener assembly of a recloseable package embodying theprior art;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating arecloseable package, with a recloseable fastener assembly embodying theprinciples of the present invention to facilitate pinch-grip opening;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating forcesapplied to a package, configured in accordance with the prior art,attendant to pinch-grip opening; and

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a recloseable package havinga recloseable fastener assembly configured in accordance with FIG. 7,and embodying the present invention, showing forces applied theretoattendant to pinch-grip opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in variousforms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be describeda presently preferred embodiment of the invention, with theunderstanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as anexemplification of the invention, and is not intended to limit theinvention to the specific embodiments illustrated.

With reference now to the drawings, therein is illustrated a package inthe form of a recloseable bag 10 embodying the principles of the presentinvention. It is contemplated that the bag 10 be formed from suitableplastic film materials or the like, but it is within the purview of thepresent invention to form the bag from paper or paper-like materials. Aswill hereinafter be described, bag 10 is specifically configured in amanner which facilitates formation of the bag from a substantiallycontinuous web of film material, to which fastener assemblies have beenpreviously applied, for use in a so-called form, fill, and sealapparatus for packaging of food products, or non-food products. Forexample, the present package can be configured for packaging of non-fooditems such as hardware articles or the like, wherein repeated openingand closing of the package is desired.

The recloseable bag 10 is formed from a generally rectangular sheet offilm material, and includes a top end generally designated 12, a bottomend generally designated 14, and front and back walls 16 and 18. Thefront and back walls are joined to each other by upper and lower seams20, 22, respectively provided at top and bottom ends 12 and 14 of thebag. Lateral edges of the rectangular sheet of film material from whichthe bag body is formed are joined to each other along a back seam 24extending vertically along back wall 18. The seams 20, 22, and 24 can beformed adhesively, or by heat-sealing as is known in the art.

Recloseable bag 10 includes profile strip fastener assembly 26 which issealingly mounted on the inside surface of front wall 16, transverselyof and perpendicular to back seam 24, and the forming axis of the bag10. In order to permit use of the present bag with conventionalpackaging equipment, fastener assembly 26 has a length no more thanone-half the width of the rectangular sheet of film material from whichthe bag body is formed. In practice, a substantially continuous sheet offilm material is provided with a plurality of the fastener assemblies 26mounted thereon at spaced locations, which spacing corresponds to thelength dimension of the bags ultimately to be formed. For use, this webof film material (with the fastener assemblies mounted thereon) issupplied to a form, fill, and seal apparatus which operates to form aseries of the bags 10, in end-to-end relationship, by formation of backseam 24, bottom seam 22, and top seam 20, as food product is supplied tothe individual bags being formed. After formation and filling, theindividual bags are ordinarily separated from each other for packagingand shipment, as may be required.

The package of the present invention is specifically configured tofacilitate pinch-grip opening thereof, that is, initial opening of thepackage by gripping the front and rear panels of the package, andseparating them from each other. In this fashion, the first and secondrecloseable fastener elements of the fastener assembly are separatedfrom each other, generally within the interior of the package, and theend seal of the package, such as the upper end seal generally adjacentthe fastener assembly, then opened generally by delamination or otherdeformation of the end seal.

In the preferred embodiment, the fastener assembly of the presentinvention includes three flange portions, which arrangement facilitatessecurement of the fastener assembly within the package body, generallyas the package body is formed about the fastener assembly. After thepackage body is formed about the fastener assembly, one of the panels ofthe package, typically the rear panel, is joined to the single flange ofthe second fastener element, with the fastener assembly thus joined to,and generally extending between, the front and rear panels of thepackage. FIG. 3 generally illustrates the package after its formationand sealing, with the contents therein, and the three-flange fastenerassembly 26 extending generally between the front and rear panels 16 and18 thereof.

FIG. 4 illustrates forces being exerted on the package to effectpinch-grip opening thereof. As will be noted, the forces exerted on thepackage tend to orient the fastener assembly such that the fastenerelements thereof are generally subjected to shear forces. However, aswill be recognized by those familiar with the art, typical fastenerassemblies are ordinarily configured to not release or separate whensubjected to shear forces. It was thus recognized that configuring thefastener assembly to facilitate opening in this fashion, withoutseparation of the single flange portion of the second fastener elementfrom the package, or by delamination or other deformation of the rearpanel of the package, is necessary.

FIG. 5 illustrates one form of the present fastener assembly, whereinthe first and second fastener elements 28, 30 of the assembly 26 arepartially separated from each other, intermediate the ends of thefastener assembly as illustrated at 32, to facilitate initial separationof the first and second fastener elements attendant to pinch-gripopening of the package. As will be appreciated, this partial separationacts to relatively reduce the relative holding force of the fastenerelements, while permitting the elements to otherwise function in anormal fashion to provide the desired recloseable feature for thepackage. In this embodiment, fastener assembly 26 is illustrated asincluding fastener elements in the form of profile strips, but it willbe appreciated that the assembly 26 may be otherwise configured, such ascomprising adhesive fastener elements, hook-and-loop fastener elements,or the like.

Alternatively, the fastener elements themselves can be specificallyconfigured to separate from each other in a preferential fashion. FIGS.6 and 8 generally illustrate the action of fastener elements, F₁ and F₂,having a generally typical configuration, shown in package P, whereinthe fastener elements can be separated by pulling them away from eachother. In contrast, FIGS. 7 and 9 illustrate a fastener assembly 26′having fastener elements 28′, 30′ in accordance with the presentinvention, wherein the fastener elements have been configured topreferentially separate to facilitate separation by movement of thefirst fastener element in a direction, relative to the second fastenerelement, which is generally away from the direction in which the singlesecond flange portion of the second fastener element extends. As will beappreciated from FIG. 9, this configuration facilitates separation ofthe first and second fastener elements, without undesired separation ofthe single flange of the second fastener element from the associatedpanel of the package, or delamination of the package body.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous modifications andvariations can be effected without departing from the true spirit andscope of the novel concept of the present invention. It is to beunderstood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodimentillustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure isintended to cover, by the appended claims, all such modifications asfall within the scope of the claims.

1. An improved recloseable package, comprising: a package body includinga front panel and a rear panel joined to each other, and a recloseablefastener assembly joined to the front and rear panels of said packagebody for gaining access to the interior of the package body, saidfastener assembly including first and second fastener elements which canreleasably secured to each other for closing the package body after saidfastener elements have been separated from each other, said first andsecond fastener elements being partially separated from each other,intermediate the ends of said fastener assembly, to facilitate initialseparation of said first and second fastener elements.
 2. An improvedrecloseable package in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said first andsecond fastener elements each respectively define at least one of agroove and a projection which cooperate with each other to releasablesecure said fastener elements to each other.
 3. An improved recloseablepackage in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said first fastener elementhas a pair of first flange portions respectively extending in generallyopposite directions thereof to facilitate joining of said fastenerassembly to said package body, said second fastener element having asingle second flange portion extending from only one side thereof tofacilitate joining of said second fastener element to the interior ofthe package body after said package body is formed generally about saidfastener assembly.
 4. An improved recloseable package, comprising: apackage body including a front panel and a rear panel joined to eachother, and a recloseable fastener assembly joined to the front and rearpanels of said package body for gaining access to the interior of thepackage body, said fastened assembly including first and second fastenerelements which can releasably secured to each other for closing thepackage body after said fastener elements have been separated from eachother, said fastener first element having a pair of first flangeportions respectively extending in generally opposite directions thereofto facilitate joining of said fastener assembly to said package body,said second fastener element having a single second flange portionextending from only one side thereof to facilitate joining of saidsecond fastener element to the interior of the package body after saidpackage body is formed generally about said fastener assembly, saidfastener assembly being configured to facilitate pinch-grip opening ofsaid package by gripping and separating said front and rear panels,without separation of said second fastener element from the interior ofsaid package body, or delamination of said package body.
 5. An improvedrecloseable package in accordance with claim 4, wherein: said first andsecond fastener elements are partially separated from each other,intermediate the ends of said fastener assembly, to facilitateseparation of said first and second fastener elements without separationof said second fastener element from the interior of said package body,or delamination of said package body.
 6. An improved recloseable packagein accordance with claim 4, wherein: said first and second fastenerelements are configured to be separated from each other with less forcethan is required to separate said second fastener element from saidpackage body, or to permanently deform said package body, including bydelamination thereof.
 7. An improved recloseable package in accordancewith claim 6, wherein: said fastener elements are configured tofacilitate separation from each other by movement of said first fastenerelement in a direction, relative to said second fastener element, whichis generally away from the direction in which said second flange portionextends from said second fastener element.